Europe, Italy, Etruria, ca. 5th century BCE. A fabulous pair of cast-bronze vessels, the form of which known as an "olpe" (plural olpes or olpi), each with a flat base supporting a piriform body. The vessels exhibit lightly-carinated midsections, a tapering neck, a funnel-form mouth surrounded by a thick rim, and a high-arching handle with a petaloid lower terminal. The larger vessel boasts a ring of ovolo motifs surrounding the rim as well as a slender register of incised knots encircling the midsection. The smaller olpe has incised concentric rings around the neck, incised curvilinear details on the lower handle terminal, and visible rivets within the mouth in front of the upper handle terminal. Both olpes are enveloped in fabulous layers of green, brown, and russet patina, and the original golden-brown bronze color is visible in some abraded areas. Size of largest (ovolo rim): 3.2" W x 7.75" H (8.1 cm x 19.7 cm).
Provenance: private Connecticut, USA collection; ex-private New York, USA collection, acquired between 1980 and 1990
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#146716
Condition
Light stabilization to upper terminal of larger vessel with light adhesive. Both vessels have minor abrasions to bodies, handles, rims, and bases, with light encrustations, and fading to some finer details, otherwise intact and excellent. Light earthen deposits as well as fabulous green, brown, and russet patina throughout. Scattered areas of original golden-brown bronze color visible.